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You may think you know this story…

Some books are works of art and “The Sleeper and the Spindle” is definitely on of them. You may remember I mentioned it in this post and of course I bought it and read it as fast as I could. It’s a wonderful reinterpretation of two of the most well-known fairytales: Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, with a dark twist, so very Gaiman-esque. Plus, you’ll love the characters, especially of you’re a fan of badass female leads. Yes, there’s no need for Prince Charming in this tale. I’m not going to tell you more about the story, but I am going to praise Chris Riddell’s breathtaking illustrations, that perfectly accompany the narrative. Gorgeous black and white drawings , with golden details of thorned vines, flowers and skulls. And don’t even start me on character illustrations… you’ll just need to see them. I can honestly say it’s the most beautiful book I own and it goes without saying that I highly recommend it.

You may think you know this story. There’s a young queen, about to be married. There are some good, brave, hardy dwarfs; a castle shrouded in thorns;and a princess, cursed by a witch, so rumour has it, to sleep forever.

But no one is waiting for a noble prince to appear on his trusty steed here. This fairytale is spun with a thread of dark magic, which twists and turns and glints and shines. A queen might just prove herself as a hero, if a princess needs rescuing. – Neil Gaiman, “The Sleeper and the Spindle”